


Taking the Snowy Path

by Small_Hobbit



Category: North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell | UK TV
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-30 17:36:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3945634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mr and Mrs Thornton enjoy a walk in the snowy countryside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taking the Snowy Path

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt "Real Snow" on LJ's Older not Dead

Margaret Thornton leant on her husband's arm as they took their regular path.  The snowfall the previous night had covered their favourite walk up the hill, but now it had stopped snowing they had decided to venture out.  
  
"It is so beautiful," Margaret said.  "Especially since no-one else has been here yet."  
  
"I am not sure it is wise for you to be walking in these conditions," John replied.  "Some of the paths may be slippery underfoot and I do not want you to fall."  
  
"That is why I am holding onto your arm so tightly."  
  
"You, Mrs Thornton, are a respectable married lady.  I am not sure the ladies of the town would approve of such behaviour."  
  
"Indeed, Mr Thornton, and when else would I have the excuse to walk so closely by your side?  As you yourself have said, I do not want to slip and fall."

John Thornton stopped and looked carefully around.

“What are you doing, my love?” Margaret asked him.

“I am ascertaining whether we can be seen by anyone, and am happy to confirm we are alone at this moment.”

“Then there can be no objection to me walking as closely to you as I wish.”

“Indeed not.” John gave her the smile which had melted her heart at the railway station several years before, and which continued to have the same effect. “And therefore there is no-one to see me do this.”

With that he put his arms round his wife to draw her even closer and bent down to kiss her. The kiss lingered, neither of them noticing the snow had begun again.

Finally, Margaret drew back and gave a small chuckle. “You are starting to turn white, my love,” she said.

“I did not notice when I shaved this morning.”

She reached up to brush the snowflakes from his hair, which had been exposed when his hat had slipped backwards as they kissed. “Merely a temporary condition,” she said. “But I fear it means we must curtail our walk.”

 


End file.
